Bobbin transfer arrangement



March 1962 R. M. INGHAM, JR 3,024,887

BOBBIN TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT Filed Nov. 28, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 TO EMF +5W|25 SOURGEXK I H 310 HO llb 33 5| 7 45 4| 33 330 Q 43 33b 4 70 r .l 55 2 T0 EMF 47 SOURCE INVENTOR ATTORNEY ROBERT M. INGHAM.,JR.

March 13, 1962 R. M. INGHAM, JR 3,024,

BOBBIN TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT Filed Nov. 28, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

R O BERT M. INGHA M J R.

ATTORNEY March 1 3, 1962 R. M. INGHAM, JR 3,024,887

BOBBIN TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT Filed Nov. 28, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ROBERT M. INGHAMMR.

ATTO R N E Y haired rates Patent 3,024,887 Patented Mar. 13, 1962 3,024,887 BOBBIN TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT Robert M. Ingham, Jn, Spartanburg, S.C., assignor to Deering Milliken Research Corporation, Spartanburg, 8.6., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 776,804 13 Claims. (Cl. 198-21) This invention relates to an improved transfer band arrangement for receiving empty bobbins from a supply source and holding them in secure relation for subsequent pick-up therefrom by an overhead conveyor, the transfer band being also adapted to receive full bobbins thereon from the overhead conveyor with provision for easy and automatic discharge of the full bobbins therefrom into a suitable receptacle such as a box, etc., disposed adjacent one end of the band.

A major feature of the invention lies in the provision of a transfer band having two different alternately interspaced sets of bobbin holders, one set being adapted to receive empty bobbins at one end run of the band and to hold the empty bobbins in substantially upright precisely spaced position on the upper run thereof, and the other set of holders being adapted to receive yarn filled bobbins thereon while disposed along the upper run and being of different shape and size from the first set of holders and particularly adapted to readily doff the filled bobbins during movement thereof along an end run of said band.

Still other features and attendant advantages will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of two embodiments constructed according to the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary schematic plan view of a preferred embodiment according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic elevation view taken along the line Z2 of FIGURE 1, with elements added thereto for completeness of illustration and illustrating the donning of empty bobbins onto the empty bobbin receivers of the transfer band.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, illustrating the dofling of wound bobbin packages at one end of the transfer band.

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of a modification of the switch actuating arrangement for control of the bobbin seating plunger.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic view in side elevation of a modified arrangement of the transfer band.

Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings a flat band 11 preferably of continuous longitudinally flexible yet relatively stiff metal banding is mounted for reversible length wise movement about a plurality of spaced apart guide rollers 13, one of the rollers 13a being a drive roller operatively connected to a suitable drive source such as a motor M for selectively driving the band 11 in either desired direction. The upper run 11a of the band is supported as by a longitudinal support beam 15 having a fiat upper guiding and supporting surface in order to give full lateral stability to the upper run of the band. The motor is provided with a suitable reversing switch generally indicated at 17, and also connected in circuit controlling relation with the drive motor is a limit stop switch 19 actuated as by either of two limit stop earn lugs 21 and 23 suitably secured to the band 11. A

push button normally open motor start switch 25 is arranged in the control circuit for the motor for overriding the limit switch, in order to provide for restarting of the motor in the reverse direction after stopping of the motor by the limit switch operating cam lugs 21, 23. The motor control circuit does not per se form a part of the invention and will therefore not be further described herein, it being noted, however, that the illustrated circuit is only shown by way of example and many other circuit arrangements might be suitably employed if desired.

Suitably mounted on the band 11 along a length corresponding to the length of upper run thereof are a plurality of alternate full bobbin male holders 31 and empty bobbin male holders 33, the holders being suitably secured, as by screws, at equal intervals thereon and extending outwardly from the flat surface of the belt of the band 11. An important aspect of this invention lies in the provision of two different sized and shaped sets of male holder members 31, 33 for holding respectively the wound bobbin packages BP and empty bobbins B on the relatively stiff widthwise yet longitudinally flexible continuous band 11. The male members 33 for holding the empty bobbins are slightly tapered to be substantially complementary to the hollow slightly tapered interior B of the base of the empty bobbins B over a substantial axial length 33b thereof sufiicient to substantially firmly position the empty bobbins B in substantially perpendicular position relative to the surface of the band 11, these empty bobbin holders 33 being slightly undersized in order to provide for ease of insertion of bobbins thereon and removal of the bobbins therefrom. The outer ends '330 of the holders 33 are more sharply inclined to aid in guiding of the bobbins B onto the holders. A flat skirt enlargement 31a and 33a is provided as the base of each holder 31 and 33 for supporting the base end surface B of the bobbins. Thus, the empty bobbins B may be substantially definitely positioned in vertical relation upon the movement of their respective male holders 33 to the upper run 11a of the band, and the empty bobbins are thereby facilely disposed for pick up by a plurality of corresponding empty bobbin graspers 35 or the like in fixed spaced apart relation on an overhead carrier generally indicated at 37.

As seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 the empty bobbins B are sequentially seated on the empty bobbin holders 33 by an air cylinder and plunger arrangement generally indicated at 41 and being under the control of a suitable bandmovement actuated switch 47 through the medium of an intermediate solenoid air valve 49 connected between a source of air pressure P and the air cylinder 4-3. The bobbin contacting end of the plunger 45 is of sufiicient diameter to effectively engage the adjacent head end surface of each bobbin for end-wise movement thereof onto the empty bobbin holders. The switch 47 has an actuating finger 47a which may be suitably actuated to close the switch and open the solenoid valve 49 as by contact by the empty bobbin holders 33 during their movement therepast, as shown in FIGURES l and 2. As shown in FIGURE 2 the switch actuating finger 47a may suitably be disposed for actuating by the male empty bobbin holder following the male bobbin holder which is immediately adjacent to the bobbin loading station 51 (i.e. aligned with cylinder 4-3 and plunger 45) and which is to receive a bobbin B as the result of actuation of the switch 47 by this following empty bobbin holder. In this arrangement a suitable actuating lug 53 may be employed for moving the switch actuating finger 47a as the last empty bobbin holder 33 is moved past the bobbin loading station 51. Although not specifically apparent from the view of FIG- URE 2 it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that the path of the switch actuating lug 53 is disposed so as not to actuate the limit stop switch 19 and is only operable to move the switch actuating finger 47a of the solenoid valve control switch 47.

Any suitable supply source may be employed adjacent the loading station 51 for replenishing the supply of empty bobbins to the loading zone which extends along the axis of movement of the bobbin seating plunger 45. In the present embodiment a downwardly sloped chute 55 is provided on which the bobbins may move downwardly under 3 the force of gravity to the discharge position adjacent the plunger and in line with the empty bobbin holders of the transfer band. In order to aid in the facile loading of bobbins B onto the empty bobbin holders 33 the bottom of the chute 55 at the bobbin loading station area 51 is slightly downwardly inclined toward the band 11 whereby the tapered bobbins B at the loading station 51 will be substantially perpendicularly aligned with their respective bobbin holders 33 and will more easily slide thereonto under the action of the plunger 45. Also, to accommodate the upward movement of the bobbins B from the chute 55 as the transfer band 11 is moved counter-clockwise as seen in FIGURE 2, the top of the chute is open, at least in the loading station area 51.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 the wound bobbin package holders 31 are conical in shape, having their conical surface sharply inclined upwardly and inwardly away from the inner wall of the bobbins on which the wound packages are disposed. Full bobbins BP are transferred onto the alternate male holders 31 on the band 11 from suitably spaced apart full bobbin graspers or the like generally indicated at 39 which also may be suitably mounted in alternate spaced apart relation on the same overhead movable carrier device 37. The particular sharply inclined conical configuration of the wound package holders 31 is provided in order to permit the wound packages HP to be received from their respective graspers and then facilely discharged as the band is moved longitudinally to move each succeeding full bobbin package downwardly along an end run 11b of the transfer band. It will be noted that while the wound bobbin package holders 31 offer sufiicient base size for adequately receiving and retaining the full bobbin packages in position while they are disposed along the upper run of the band, the sharply inclined conical surface of the holders offer substantially no support for the wound bobbin packages as they move downwardly along the end run 11b as shown in FIGURE 3. Thus, the full bobbin packages BP fall off their respective holders 31 freely and easily under the influence of centrifugal force and gravity as they proceed onto and along the end run 11b and are thus discharged into a suitable receptacle 61 which may be disposed adjacent the discharge end run 11b of the band.

By employing a portable loading device 41, 55 for the empty bobbins the loading device may be moved out of the way and the full bobbins may be discharged into the receptacle or other suitable receiving device at the same end run 11b of the band 11 as is employed for loading the empty bobbins B onto the band. Upon completion of the unloading of the wound bobbin packages B-P the limit stop cam lug 23 is brought into contact with the limit stop switch 19 to thereby stop the movement of the transfer band 11, pending reactuation of the motor by reversing the switch 17 and closing of the normally open push button start switch 25 to subsequently reload empty bobbins B onto the holders 33.

In the arrangement of FIGURES 1-3 it will be seen that the switch actuating finger 47a is so disposed as to be in the path of the frusto-conical slightly tapered empty bobbin holders 33 but out of the path of the sharply tapered wound bobbin holders 31. Thus the switch is actuated only in response to movement therepast of an empty bobbin holder 33. In FIGURE 4 a modification is illustrated wherein the solenoid valve control switch is disposed directly adjacent the loading station 51 for the empty bobbins and it is thereby actuated directly by a laterally protruding cam lug 33d or the like which may be formed on the enlarged circular skirt base 33a of each of the empty bobbin holders. In such embodiment it will be seen that the wound bobbin holders 31 are provided with no corresponding cam lug, and thus do not actuate the solenoid valve 49 and air cylinder and plunger arrangement 41 as they pass by the switch actuating finger 47a.

A further modification is illustrated in FIGURE 5,

43. which may be employed to aid in the ease of loading of the empty bobbin-s onto their respective male holders. I In this arrangement the end run 1112 is slightly inclined to the vertical in order to permit the loading chute 55' to be more sharply inclined downwardly toward the transfer band 11 and thereby permit faster and easier loading of the empty bobbins onto their holders 33'.

In operation, the transfer band 11 is at the beginning of a loading cycle disposed with its holders extending along the lower run He thereof. Upon closing of the motor start switch 25 to drive the band in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2 the bobbin holders will be moved sequentially past the switch actuating finger 47a and loading station 51 around the guide roller 13]) and onto the upperruri, the band being stopped after movement of the last holder into proper position on the upper run as by the cam lug 21 contacting the band limit stop switch 19. As each succeeding empty bobbin holder 33 is brought into alignment with the loading station 51 the switch actuating finger 47a is moved to open the solenoid valve 49, whereby pressurized air is supplied to the air cylinder 4-3 to move the plunger 45 which imparts an abrupt striking movement to the head end B of the bobbin B aligned therewith at the loading station 51 and thereby seating the bobbin onto the empty bobbin holder 33 then at the loading station 51. The base end surface B of the bobbin preferably rides on a circular skirt enlargement 33a of the empty bobbin holder 33, as previously described. By the downward inclination of the supply chute 55 toward the loading station 51 the adjacent empty bobbins B on the chute move under the influence of gravity or other suitable force to maintain a bobbin in position at the loading station 51 in alignment with the discharge and seating plunger 45 for discharge onto each succeeding empty bobbin holder 33. After all of the empty bobbin holders 33 have been filled with empty bobbins and are moved to the desired position on the upper run 11a of the band the motor M is stopped by contact of the limit switch cam lug 21 with the actuating finger of the limit switch 19.

The empty bobbins B may then be picked up by the corresponding empty bobbin graspers 35 of the movable overhead carrier 37 and full bobbins BP may be seated onto the corresponding holders of the band by the corresponding full bobbin holding graspers 39 of the overhead carrier. The carrier assembly 37 may then be raised and moved out of the path of movement of the bobbins on the band for subsequent further disposition of the empty bobbins, as by donning them onto the spindles of a spinning frame, and in order to permit discharge of the wound bobbin packages BP from the transfer band 11. The bobbin loading device 41, 55 is then moved away from the end run 11b and the motor M is reversed and again started to drive the transfer band in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 3, whereby the full wound bobbin packages BP are discharged and fall from their respective holders 31 into the receptacle 61 as they move onto and down the end run 11b.

While I have shown and described various embodiments and modifications constructed according to my invention it will be apparent that many modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specifically illustrated embodiments but only by the scope of the appending claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. A movable endless member transfer arrangement for accepting empty bobbins at one end run and moving them in upright spaced apart position to the upper run thereof for subsequent pick-up therefrom, and for accept ing bobbin yarn packages on the upper run thereof and subsequently discharging said bobbin yarn packages at one end run, comprising an endless member having a horizontal upper run and at least one end run extending generally vertically along a portion of its length for discharge of bobbins therefrom, first and second sets of bobbin-receiving male members disposed in spaced-apart substantially perpendicular outwardly extending relation on said endless member, each of the male members of said first set having an outer general surface configuration over a substantial part of its length substantially conforming to a substantial length of the interior surface of bobbins held thereby whereby said bobbins are substantially vertically positioned in substantially precise spaced apart position when moved to said upper run, and each of the male members of said second set having an outer general surface configuration which includes a portion substantially inclined inwardly with respect to the outer general surface configuration of the male members of said first set and with respect to the perpendicular from said endless member and extending over at least the major portion of said member, whereby bobbins supported on said second set of bobbin-receiving male members will be easily self-discharged therefrom during travel along said end run.

2. A transfer arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said endless member is a longitudinally movable flat longitudinally flexible band, said arrangement including a rigid support disposed along and in supporting engagement beneath said upper run of said band.

3. A transfer arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said inclined portion of said male members in said second set extends from closely adjacent the base of said members to the outer free end thereof.

4. A transfer arrangement according to claim 3 wherein said inclined portion is conical in shape.

5. A transfer arrangement according to claim 1 wherein each of said male members has a raised base portion with a substantially flat upper surface larger than the interior end surface of bobbins held thereby and being adapted to engage in supporting relation the ends of bobbins disposed on said members.

6. A transfer arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said base portions are made of flexible material.

7. A transfer arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the extreme outer ends of each of said male members of said first set are substantially inclined with respect to the perpendicular from said endless member.

8. A transfer arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the surface configuration of said substantially bobbinconforming substantial length of each of said members of first set of male members has a slight degree of inward taper, the base end of said tapered portion thereof being substantially complementary to and adapted to engage the base end of a bobbin in easily removable relation, said slight degree of inward taper being compara tively small compared to the angle of inclination of said substantially inclined portion of said second set members.

9. A transfer arrangement according to claim 8 wherein said taper on said first set male members slightly exceeds the taper of the tapered interior of bobbins received thereon.

10. A transfer arrangement according to claim 9 wherein each of said male members of said first set has a further tapered outer end portion of substantially greater inclination than its first mentioned tapered portion whereby to aid in guiding bobbins onto said members.

11. A bobbin handling arrangement comprising a movable support member having two sets of spaced apart male bobbin holders thereon, a plurality of switch-actuating elements each associated and movable in synchronism with a respective one of the holders of one of said sets, and a switch having an actuating contact disposed in its normal ready position in the path of movement of actuating elements each associated with a respective one of each of the holders of one of said sets and out of the path of movement of the holders of said other set and any physical elements associated therewith, said two sets of male bobbin holders being respectively of two different sizes, said switch being disposed for contact by the holders of one size and for no contact by the holders of the other size.

12. An arrangement according to claim 11 wherein said holders of one of said sets have an outer surface at a greater angle to the perpendicular than the major portion of the outer surface of said holders of said other set.

13. An arrangement according to claim 12 wherein said holders of said one set are shorter than said holders of said second set.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,991,699 Reiners et al. Feb. 19, 1935 2,169,772 Schweitzer Aug. 15, 1939 2,646,937 Johnson et al. July 28, 1953 2,794,532 Snow June 4, 1957 

